A Chain Gang Christmas Carol
by ijnfleetadmiral
Summary: Can someone disillusioned by Christmas change his ways with the help of some VERY unlikely spirits? Maria / Cena
1. Chapter 1: Semi Scrooge

**A Chain Gang Christmas Carol**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except the idea for the story.

**Summary:** Auto shop owner John Cena has been disillusioned with Christmas ever since his girlfriend left him on Christmas Eve. Can visits from five spirits and a surprising discovery get him to change his views on the holiday season?

**Pairings:** Maria / Cena

**Chapter One: Semi-Scrooge**

John Cena didn't exactly hate Christmas...he just looked forward to it about as much as a Death Row inmate would an impending appointment with the electric chair. It hadn't always been this way, mind you...when John was a kid, he'd run down the stairs with his brothers every year to see what was under the tree. But for the past three years, ever since Marissa had up and left, he'd distanced himself more and more from the holiday season.

This had all stemmed from the fact his girlfriend - whom he'd wanted to marry - had left him on Christmas Eve. How nice...he'd had it all planned out; they would've gone to spend Christmas morning at his Dad's, and he would've popped the question in front of the tree after all the presents had been opened. However, he'd gotten home Christmas Eve night to find Marissa's stuff gone and only a note saying she'd met up with her college sweetheart and decided to run off with him on a whim rather than stay and be happy with John.

Now, sitting behind his desk in the owner's office of Chain Gang Customizing & Body Works in West Newbury, Massachusetts, John could still remember sentences from the letter that had all but destroyed his life:

_...I know this must be a shock to you, John, but the heart wants what the heart wants. You're a great guy, so I'm sure you'll understand eventually..._

_Yeah, right_, John thought darkly to himself. _Oh well...just get through Christmas and you can drink it away come New Year's Eve._

He was jarred from his thoughts by his new secretary coming into the room with the day's mail, placing it on his desk and gracing him with a friendly smile before heading out of the room. John had hired Maria Kanellis only two months ago, and already the place seemed livelier. One thing was for sure: with the holiday season now in full swing, a customer could tell just by walking in that Maria was definitely one who loved Christmas. The entire waiting area was decked out in Christmas decorations, and a small tree stood in the corner, colored lights twinkling.

She'd of course asked before doing any decorating, and John's insides had turned to mush at the smile she'd given him when he told her he didn't care if she made the anteroom into a facsimile of Santa's Workshop, as long as his personal office was left alone.

About a month ago, Maria had started doing little things that made her boss sit up and somewhat take notice. Every so often, he'd come into work in the morning and find breakfast from McDonald's on his desk, or as soon as he came in the door she was handing him a cup of freshly-brewed coffee. He had no idea what it was she was up to, but he knew something was up.

Of course, the fact she was drop-dead, able-to-stop-traffic gorgeous had in no way influenced his decision to hire her...honest.

The sound of hammering made John get up and walk to the doorway of his office. He was greeted by the very pleasing sight of his secretary standing on a stepladder, hammering a nail over the door leading out to the shop. He took a moment to admire Maria's attributes in tight lowrider jeans before speaking.

"Um, what're you doing?"

His secretary glanced down at him and smiled. "I'm hanging mistletoe!" she replied happily.

"Great!" John replied with false brightness before disappearing back into his office, Maria's giggles at his reaction trailing behind him, and sending shivers up and down his spine. _Maybe she wants a raise_, he thought, as he took his seat behind his desk again.

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As a major snowstorm was forecast to blow in that evening, John let everyone go at 2 PM. His two employees, Matt and Jeff Hardy, didn't argue at all; Matt had planned to fly the two of them and their girlfriends, Candice and Ashley, down to Cameron, North Carolina as soon as they got off work. The fact they'd been let off early meant they had an even better chance of beating the storm...that is, if Jeff and Candice ever decided to cease partaking in the mistletoe Maria had hung. Finally Matt had had enough; he walked over, grabbed Jeff's ear, and dragged him out to the car while Candice and Ashley followed behind, giggling.

John politely bid Maria a Merry Christmas and saw her off before closing up the shop and heading for his father's for the annual Christmas Eve get-together. He went through the usual festivities with a smile pasted on his face, while secretly wishing he was someplace else. Not that he hated being around his family - on the contrary, he, his Dad, and his brothers were all very close - but, again, his discomfort with the holidays kept him from fully enjoying the occasion.

The get-together ended about 8 PM, and John was surprised to find the forecasted storm had yet to begin. Not wanting to be caught in it when it finally started, he got in his black Porsche and headed back to his large, two-story, four-bedroom three-and-a-half bath home. Once inside, he lit a fire in the fireplace in his den and stretched out on the couch with a Miller longneck and the remote control. About thirty minutes later, he was sound asleep. Therefore, he had absolutely no idea his life was about to be turned upside down by the strangest series of events he'd ever experienced...

**Up Next:** The WWE version of Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Present.

**R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2: What Happened Is In The Past

**Chapter Two: What Happened Is In the Past**

John awoke to the sound of wind raging outside. The storm had finally hit, and the fire had nearly died, flames jumping up feebly from the glowing embers every now and then. He sighed and stood up to put the fire out in preparation for heading upstairs to bed and hopefully sleeping straight through until the morning of December 26.

_"WOOOOOO!"_

The sudden shout in the otherwise-quiet house nearly made him jump out of his skin. _How'd somebody get in without the security system going off?_ he wondered, and turned to face said intruder.

The sight made him pale: a ghost was standing in his living room. Only it wasn't any normal ghost: the spirit - who looked to be in about his late fifties - had blond hair that was slicked back, and he was wearing a long blue robe with what appeared to be feather boas around the neck and on the cuffs of the sleeves. Seeing he now had John's attention, the spirit continued.

_"For the past three years, you've held Christmas in a low regard. If you continue like this, you'll destroy yourself. So you've been given a chance to turn your way of thinking around for the better. Tonight, you'll be visited by three spirits. Listen to what they have to say, or you'll be in real trouble."_

John could only nod dumbly in response. The ghost winked at him.

_"I'll see ya, kid. WOOOOOO!"_

When John blinked, said ghost was gone. John looked around for any evidence that a ghost had been there, but - of course - found none. He walked over to the coffee table and picked up his beer bottle, looking through the opening at the contents.

_Ok, I can't see any evidence that LSD somehow got mixed in..._

John shook his head and headed into the kitchen, dumping the beer down the sink and tossing the bottle in the trash can before heading upstairs to bed. He changed into a white t-shirt and Boston Red Sox sleep pants before getting into his king-size bed and falling asleep instantly.

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_"Hey, you awake, ese?"_

John's eyes slowly opened, then grew as wide as dinner plates when he saw another ghost standing by his bed. This one was somewhat short, his arms were covered in tattoos, and he was wearing a mask over the top part of his skull and face. He looked at John and grinned cheerfully.

_"Feliz Navidad, homes!"_

John looked askance at his latest visitor. He was tempted to ask if the spook had been a gang member in life, for that was the only thing he could think of when he noted the sleeveless shirt that the ghost was wearing with the number '619' prominently displayed on the front. Instead, he blurted out something else.

"What's with the mask?"

The short ghost grinned. _"I think it adds to the whole mystery thing I got going on. I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past."_

"Um, ok..." John had no idea what to say at this point. The ghost, sensing John's confusion, grinned.

_"Let's go visit your past, ese."_

The phrase 'Let's not and say we did' was on the tip of John's tongue, but he decided to just go along with it; he wasn't the type of guy who'd be stupid enough to piss off a ghost.

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1981

_Five-year-old John Cena tore down the stairs with his brothers and launched himself at the massive pile of presents under the tree._

_"It's Christmas!" he yelled as he grabbed a gift with his name on it and started tearing the wrapping off._

Over in the corner, the adult John watched the scene with a smile before the ghost tapped him on the shoulder.

_"Let's see another great Christmas you had, homes."_

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1993

_Seventeen-year-old John Cena trudged down the stairs, still depressed that he'd finally saved up enough money to buy the car he'd always wanted, and had actually found an ad in the paper advertising a vehicle with the exact model and year he wanted, only to call and be told that someone had just bought the car._

_Once all the presents under the tree were opened, John's dad handed him one last present from the pocket of his bathrobe._

_"Enjoy it, John," he told his son._

_John unwrapped the item to reveal an eyeglasses case. He opened it to find a set of keys. He looked up at his father questioningly, and Mr. Cena simply smiled._

_"Who do you think bought the car you were so hot to get?" At John's expression of wide-eyed disbelief, he continued. "She's in the garage...go look."_

_He'd barely finished his sentence before his son tore out of the room like an F-14 launched off the _U.S.S. Enterprise_, and less than ten seconds later, a whoop of joy came from the garage._

The ghost turned to John and grinned.

_"I think you once labeled this as your 'best Christmas ever', didn't you?"_

The adult John grinned and nodded. "It sure was...I still have that car, too." He sighed. "76 Chevelle Super Sport...still rides smooth as silk, too."

_"Niiiice,"_ the ghost complimented before turning serious. _"Listen, ese, I hate to do this to you, but now we gotta see your 'worst Christmas ever'."_

"Aw, crap..." John muttered.

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2005

_John stepped into his kitchen, stomping the snow off his shoes. "Marissa? I'm home, babe!" he called._

_Silence was the only response. John checked the entire first floor of the house and found nothing, so he headed upstairs. He walked into the bedroom and found a note propped up against the pillows on the bed._

The current John hung his head as the John of the past read the note that tore his life apart. The ghost laid a hand on his shoulder.

_"I know it hurt real bad, homes, but you gotta let it go...you gotta move on from that. If you don't, you could miss something really good that's right under your nose."_

"What the hell does that mean?" John demanded, only to receive a secretive smile in reply.

_"That's not for me to tell you, ese...I'm the Ghost of Christmas __Past__, remember? Your next visitors will tell you more about that. All I can tell you is this: Cherish the memories your past gives you, and learn from the mistakes you've made."_

Before John could say anything in return, he was swept up in a cloud of grayish-white smoke.

_"Feliz Navidad, ese!"_ the ghost's voice faded out in an echo, as did everything else around John.

**Up Next:** There are two Ghosts of Christmas Present...anyone care to guess who they are?

**R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Best Part Of Christmas

**Chapter Three: The Best Part of Christmas is the Present**

John sat up in his bed in the manner of Dracula popping up at sunset. He felt like he'd been hit by an Abrams tank. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand: 2:00 AM.

It was then he noticed the blinking light on the answering machine on his nightstand. Knowing he probably wasn't going to fall back asleep anytime soon, he reached over and pressed the playback button.

_"Hey man,"_ the voice of his best friend Randy Orton greeted him. _"Just calling to wish you Merry Christmas, even though I know you'd rather sleep through the holidays. Anyway, I know you're probably gonna just hole up in your house all day tomorrow, but you're welcome to come and have dinner with me and Stacy. Again, Merry Christmas, man...lemme know what your plans are for New Year's. Later."_

John smiled at the message. Leave it to his best friend to make him feel better. He scooted down in the bed, pulled the blankets up around himself, and rolled over in preparation for going back to sleep.

_"Hey! Don't go to sleep; we just got here!"_ said a voice. John rolled over quickly to find not one, but two spirits staring down at him with wide, cheery grins on their faces. One even gave him a little wave. These two were also dressed oddly; instead of the deep forest green usually associated with Christmas, the green on their outfits was a glaring neon green.

They were made even weirder by the accessories they sported; the one who'd waved to him was wearing a cowboy hat, while his companion was toting - of all things - a sledgehammer.

"Lemme guess," John said, "the Ghosts of Christmas Present, right?"

_"That's us!"_ the one wearing the cowboy hat cheerily confirmed. _"I'm Shawn, and he's Hunter."_

_"Lemme ask you a question, John,"_ Hunter spoke up. _"In your opinion, what's the best thing about the Christmas season?"_

John grinned. "I'm gonna go with an answer I'm sure a lot of guys would agree with: the Victoria's Secret Christmas catalog."

_"Ooh, that's a good one..."_ Hunter trailed off, a distant look in his eyes and a happy little smile spreading across his face.

_"Hey! Can we get back to the __real__ Christmas stuff?"_ Shawn complained, causing Hunter to roll his eyes.

_"All right, all right."_ He turned back to John. _"Let's go visit some friends!"_

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Before John could say anything, they were off. Through the course of their travels, they visited John's father's house, where John saw his father and those of his brothers who still lived at home gathered around the tree in the den, talking and joking. Next was Randy's place, where John saw his best friend and Randy's wife Stacy sitting in front of their tree, doing their tradition of each opening one gift on Christmas Eve.

_"Isn't that nice?"_ Hunter commented, as Shawn sniffled and faked wiping away a tear. _"Don't you want that for yourself someday?"_

John shrugged. "Yeah, but I doubt if it'll ever happen."

Hunter smiled secretively. _"I dunno...you'd be surprised."_

The scenery changed before John could even blink. The three of them were now in the living room of a modest-sized apartment. It was cheerily decorated for Christmas, and a nice amount of presents were under the small Christmas tree that stood in the corner of the room.

"Whose place is this?" John whispered.

Before either ghost could answer, the sound of a baby crying was heard. It startled all three of them, and Shawn lost his balance and fell through the coffee table in surprise. He looked around from his position on the floor.

_"Boy, I'm sure glad I'm a ghost...that woulda hurt if I were human!"_

Hunter rolled his eyes as Shawn got to his feet, and the baby's cries grew louder as the bedroom door opened and John's secretary came out holding the baby, sleepily rubbing its back as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Shhh...shhh...it's ok, Taylor, it's ok..." she soothed.

John's eyebrows were on the ceiling. He was stunned. He'd had no idea Maria was a single mother. Then he saw what she was wearing: a long nightshirt that was about three sizes too big with Snoopy on the front. She was apparently not wearing pajama bottoms, and a pair of the best-looking legs John had ever seen in his life were sticking out the bottom of the shirt.

He was still stunned as the three of them followed Maria into the kitchen, where she went through the motions of warming a bottle for Taylor. Hunter and John stood over in the corner, while Shawn stood right behind Maria and made goofy baby faces at Taylor, causing Hunter to roll his eyes at his associate's behavior.

"She never said anything about a baby..." John trailed off.

_"It's not hers biologically,"_ Hunter replied. _"A friend of hers from high school had cancer, and stated in her will that your secretary get custody."_

John glanced nervously around the kitchen, his eyes lighting on the refrigerator, which was covered with pictures, mostly of Taylor or Maria's family. But there was one of him sitting behind his desk, held to the fridge door by a heart-shaped magnet frame. He recognized it as being a photo Maria had taken because she'd wanted to get a roll of film developed, and still had one picture left on the roll. He'd been reluctant to have his picture taken, but when she gave him puppy eyes and begged, he probably would've signed his business over to her, she'd looked so cute.

Hunter saw him looking at the photo and smirked at him. _"You couldn't tell?"_

"Tell what?" John asked, coming out of his memories of the gorgeous redhead to find her sitting at the kitchen table feeding Taylor her bottle.

_"That she's got it bad for you,"_ the ghost replied. _"Think of the times you've found a McDonald's bag on your desk...all the times she's given you fresh coffee when you walk through the door in the morning...all those smiles every time you speak to her, and what do __you__ come up with?"_

John sighed and hung his head. "I come up with the fact that I'm a clueless idiot."

_"Hey, maybe there's hope for you yet!"_ Hunter grinned. _"Just kidding!"_ he added, when John glowered at him.

_"What do you think she wants for Christmas more than anything else in the world?"_ Shawn asked, coming over to join them. _"She wants you to see what's right in front of you, but she thinks you're never going to do that."_

"_Yeah...but she'd also probably just settle for a kiss,"_ Hunter smirked. _"Why do you think she put up that mistletoe yesterday?"_

"She was hoping to catch me under it?" John's statement came out sounding like a question, even as his brain told him, _Duh! Of course she was! And don't even think to say you wouldn't absolutely __love__ to be caught under the mistletoe by her!_ Hunter and Shawn both gave him looks that said, _'What do you think?'_

By now, Taylor was falling back asleep. Maria got up, put the bottle in the sink and filled it with water, and was about to leave the room when her eyes fell on John's picture on the refrigerator. The redhead smiled tenderly before kissing her fingers and brushing them across the picture. She gazed at it a moment longer before sighing and then walking out of the room, turning out the light as she went.

When the apartment was once more in darkness, John turned to the two ghosts and sighed.

"I had no idea she felt that way."

Hunter grinned at him. _"Yeah, but now you know. The question is, what're you gonna do about it? Good luck, buddy."_

Even as he said this, he and Shawn - along with Maria's apartment - were fading from view. Before they disappeared, however, Shawn called out, _"And if you're not down with that, we've only got two words for ya!"_

"_MERRY CHRISTMAS!"_ the duo chorused before vanishing completely.

**Up Next:** The Ghost of Christmas Future!

**R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4: No One Knows

**Chapter Four: No One Knows What The Future Holds...**

Once again, John bolted upright in bed. He glanced at the clock: 4:00 AM. He groaned and ran his hands through his hair.

"Ok," he said out loud to himself, "no more Jagermeister...ever."

"_The drink is not to blame...the fault lies with you,"_ a chillingly emotionless voice replied.

John jerked his head up to find a ghost sitting in the recliner in the corner of his bedroom. To say that this ghost was frightening was an understatement. He looked to be well over six feet tall, and was dressed all in black, including a black Western-style hat and long leather trench coat, in addition to having long hair and the most penetrating stare John had ever seen.

The ghost rose to his feet. _"John Cena...I am the Ghost of Christmas Future. You will come with me to see the possible outcome of the path you've chosen."_

"Aw, come on, man...am I destined not to get any sleep tonight?" John complained. "I'm gonna be dead on my feet tomorrow, and..." he trailed off when he saw the ghost merely staring at him with a look that plainly said, _'Do you __really__ want to try and refuse?'_

John laughed nervously and stood up. "And why am I arguing and making excuses when you seem like the spirit I should least want to piss off? Let's go!"

The ghost raised his hands and John shuddered when the spirit's eyes rolled back in his head and mist surrounded them.

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The next thing John knew, they were standing in the office area of his shop. The Christmas decorations were gone, and the atmosphere seemed incredibly subdued. Maria was nowhere to be seen.

"What's going on?" John walked over to the calendar, noting it was a Wednesday and the shop should normally be quite busy on a weekday. "Where's Maria?"

He noticed a piece of paper taped to the door, and read it backwards using the light:

**CLOSED FOR PERSONAL REASONS. WILL REOPEN MONDAY.**

John walked back to where the spirit was standing. "What the hell's going on?"

The spirit merely pointed to the door leading to the shop floor. John glowered at him and strode through the door. The shop area was also quiet, save for Matt, Jeff, Candice, and Ashley standing in one area. To John's surprise, his two employees and their girlfriends were wearing black formal clothes, and both girls looked like they'd been crying. Matt and Jeff were merely standing there and looking around the shop uncomfortably.

"What are you and Jeff going to do?" Ashley asked Matt.

Matt shrugged. "We're not gonna close the shop...we'll go on running it."

Jeff sighed. "I can't believe what's happened."

Candice put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Jeff, we all knew something was going to happen eventually...that fancy sports car of his wasn't made for Massachusetts winters, and with as fast as he drove sometimes..." she trailed off as her boyfriend nodded sadly.

"At least he no longer has to put up the front that he enjoys Christmas," Matt put in. "We could all tell it was getting harder and harder for him each year."

The group nodded as John turned to the spirit as it came up behind him. "It sounds like they're talking about me like I'm dead or something."

Even as he said that, the strange mist enveloped them again, and when it cleared the two were standing in a cemetery. Nearby stood a freshly-dug grave with a casket over it, an awning to protect mourners from the elements covering everything.

As John approached, he saw a group of mourners heading back to their cars. A feeling of dread overcame him when he saw it was his father and brothers, with a visibly-shaken Randy comforting a crying Stacy close behind them.

"Oh, shit..." he muttered before looking back at the spirit, who merely pointed him forward. John nodded and continued on.

As he stood at the edge of the awning area, he noticed a figure standing in front of the closed casket. It was Maria, dressed in a black dress, her red hair tucked under a black bonnet and her face hidden by a black veil. As John stepped under the awning, his heart wrenched when he saw the beautiful redhead fall to her knees, crying like her heart had been torn out. A clergyman - the only other person remaining there - placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Maria didn't even react.

John made to comfort her, but then remember she could neither see nor hear him. He looked back at the ghost.

"Why are we here, man? Why do we have to see this?"

"_It is the future if you do not change,"_ the spirit replied. _"Look at the name on the headstone."_

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like what I see," John muttered to himself, but turned and looked anyway.

Time seemed to stop as he beheld his own name etched in the granite.

"_You see now what future awaits you,"_ the spirit replied. John's head whipped around so fast he thought he was going to get whiplash.

"No," he ground out, "This ain't how it's gonna be. I'm gonna change. You hear me?!" he yelled, when the spirit showed no sign of acknowledging his statement. "I'm gonna change!"

The spirit fixed him with another riveting stare before speaking two words. _"Prove it."_

**Up Next:** Will John prove it?

**R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5: A Fresh Start

**Chapter Five: A Fresh Start**

John awoke with a shout to find himself in his bedroom at home, instead of standing in a cemetery looking down at his own grave and being unable to comfort a beautiful young woman who was obviously in love with him.

His gaze whipped to the clock: 5:30 AM. He grinned, an idea suddenly coming to him, and he reached over and picked up his cell phone, pressing the first number on his speed-dial as he got out of bed and started to dress.

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Randy was just about to follow Stacy and two very pretty brunette identical twins into the Girls Gone Wild bus when a horrible thing happened: the phone woke him up. How incredibly rude of it.

Muttering darkly under his breath, he turned over and glanced at the clock, muttering even darker upon seeing the time while simultaneously reaching over and grabbing the handset without even glancing at the Caller ID.

"Whoever this is best have a damn good reason for calling this number at this time on Christmas morning."

"_Merry Christmas, man!"_ the wide-awake voice of his best friend greeted him.

"John? What's going on, man?"

"_I need a favor from you and Stacy both,"_ was the reply. _"I need you to open your businesses for me...I gotta do some shopping ASAP."_

Randy blinked, not entirely sure he'd heard John right. Stacy rolled over and looked up at her husband blearily.

"What's wrong, honey?" she asked sleepily. "Who's on the phone?"

"John," Randy replied. "He's either done a complete 180 concerning his views on Christmas, or else he's taken ecstacy and has absolutely no idea what he's doing."

"What do you mean?"

"He wants me to open the dealership and for you to open the store for him to go shopping."

Stacy sat up and motioned for Randy to give her the phone.

"John? It's Stacy..." she smiled. "Merry Christmas to you, too...now what's all this about you wanting Randy and I to open our businesses for you? I see...you what? Hang on a sec, ok?"

She took the phone away from her ear and covered the mouthpiece. "John says he had several visits from ghosts last night and one of them showed him that if he didn't change his ways about Christmas he was gonna end up dead."

Randy burst out laughing. Stacy smacked him on the arm. "Stop laughing!" she ordered before putting the phone back up to her ear while Randy rolled over and muffled his giggles against his pillow, pounding his fist against the mattress intermittently.

"You still there, John?" Stacy asked. "Ok, why do you need me to open my store?" She listened as John explained about Maria and the baby. "John, that's so sweet! Of course we'll help you out, won't we, honey?"

Stacy gave her husband - who'd finished his giggle-fest and had somehow managed to fall back asleep - a pointed look, and when he didn't react, she simply ripped the blankets off of him, letting the frigid air of their bedroom hit him full-blast. When this only served to make him curl himself in a ball and grope blindly for the covers, she scoffed and shoved him out of bed to land with a hard 'thump' on the floor.

"Ow..." was the response from the floor before Randy's head popped up on the side of the bed to look questioningly at her.

"What was that for?"

"I asked you a question and you were asleep, so I had to wake you up again." was the explanation.

"Yeah, but I can think of more fun ways of waking me up than that," Randy muttered as he climbed back onto the mattress.

Ignoring his meaning, Stacy replied, "I told John we'd help him out and I asked if you agreed."

"Yeah, ok, fine," Randy muttered groggily, knowing the best course of action was to go along with whatever Stacy wanted.

His wife smiled at him. "Good." She then turned her attention back to her phone conversation. "John? Meet Randy at the dealership, ok?" She listened for a moment and then laughed. "You're welcome...I'm glad you had a change of heart. See you soon...bye."

Stacy handed the phone to her husband before turning on her bedside lamp, getting out of bed, and walking over to their closet. She opened the door, took out a Christmas gift bag, and walked back to the bed.

"Here," she handed the bag to Randy. "This is for being a good boy and going along with John's request."

She headed back to the closet to choose an outfit while her husband opened his gift. She was pulling on her jeans when Randy suddenly jumped up, grabbed for the jeans and shirt he'd draped over a chair the night before, and headed for the bathroom at warp speed.

Stacy grinned as she watched him go, smugly noting he'd found the Victoria's Secret Santa Claus nightie and Santa hat that she'd bought. She gave a happy little sigh as she pulled on her sweatshirt, knowing she'd discovered a valuable ally in getting her husband to do whatever she wanted.

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John pulled into the lot of Cowboy Bob's Car & Truck Corral, where Randy was standing on the showroom floor, waiting for him with a large cup of coffee in his hand.

"Merry Christmas, man!" John yelled as he got out of his car.

Randy grinned at him. "Merry Christmas...what's up?"

John looked at him for a moment. "You sure were agreeable to coming down here and opening up." Then he grinned. "Ahh, Stacy bought you a present from Vickie Secrets, huh?"

Randy shrugged. "I'm a simple man with simple needs, John." Then he mock-glowered at his best friend. "Although you did wake me up from a really good dream."

John paused. "Not the Girls Gone Wild dream again!"

"None other, man. Brunettes this time...identical twins, no less."

"Dude, I'm sorry."

Randy shrugged. "Eh, don't worry about it." Then he grinned. "Besides, what Stacy's got for when she and I get home is gonna make up for it big time."

John laughed as Randy asked, "So why're we here?" He was taking a sip of coffee when John replied, "I wanna trade in the Porsche."

That sentence made Randy spit coffee all over the showroom floor.

"Are you serious?"

John nodded. "Come on, man...that car ain't made for the winters like we have here. And it doesn't have space for a baby seat or anything...it only sits two people."

Randy looked uncertain. "I don't think we have anything on the lot even close to the Blue Book value of a car like that."

"Just put it toward whatever I decide on today and gimme the difference in a bank draft."

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An hour later, John drove off the lot in a fully-loaded 2009 GMC Yukon XL. He stopped at a gas station to fill up and wait for Randy to meet him, and then both drove on to Stacy's store: Babyland Unlimited.

At the store, Stacy had to dissuade John from buying everything he wanted to - namely, an entire nursery full of furniture - telling him that it might overwhelm Maria instead of impressing her. Instead, she loaded John's cart down with four boxes of diapers, three containers of baby wipes, and a Diaper Genie, and ordering Randy to tote around the store the huge, incredibly soft teddy bear John had decided would be a perfect present for Taylor.

Before she led him to a register, however, Stacy went over to the section of the store that held special presents for expectant mothers.

"Do you think Maria has anything like this for Taylor?" she asked John, showing him a beautiful memory book.

"I have no idea," her husband's confused friend replied. "You think she'd like it?"

"I think she'd love it," Stacy replied. "Tell her if she wants to, she can bring it in and get Taylor's full name engraved on the cover."

John flashed her a grateful smile. "I'll take it." He was about to resume his trek to the register when he thought of something else.

"Stac, do y'all have any rocking chairs?"

Twenty minutes later, the diapers and wipes were resting in the Yukon's backseat - along with the now-festively-wrapped Diaper Genie and memory book - the teddy bear was strapped into the front passenger seat, and John and Randy had finished wrestling the boxes containing the beautiful oak glide rocker and accompanying ottoman into the back cargo space.

"Good luck, man," Randy said as John shut the Yukon's rear hatch.

"Thanks for everything," John replied as the two friends shook hands. John was about to get in the driver's seat when he heard Stacy calling him. He turned to find the blonde extending a Santa hat to him.

"Here...she might find it cute if you showed up wearing this," she told him, and John grinned and thanked her for the idea before taking a deep, calming breath, buckling up, and driving off.

**Up Next:** What happens when Maria's boss shows up on her doorstep?

**R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6: Dreams Can Come True

**Chapter Six: Dreams Can Come True At Christmas**

Maria Kanellis was awakened by her cell phone ringing. She sat up and blearily looked at the clock: 7:15 AM on Christmas morning...who could be calling so early?

A glance at the Caller ID showed the word 'Boss' framed by a heart on either end. She rose a skeptical eyebrow at this development. _He must've drunk more than he thought last night, didn't bother to look at a clock, and is probably standing in his office at the shop, wondering why the rest of us aren't already at work._

She giggled slightly at the thought before answering the call. "Hello?"

_"Hey, Maria...Merry Christmas!"_ John's tone of voice and his greeting told her that **1)** He knew it was Christmas, and **2)** He was completely sober.

"John? Where are you?"

_"I'm...um, actually standing outside your door,"_ was the reply. _"I didn't want to pound on your door and have your neighbors think I'm a crazy person and call the cops, so I thought I'd call you and ask politely to be let in."_

The pretty redhead stifled another giggle. "Ok, I'll be right there."

She walked out of her bedroom and into the living room, pausing once she'd reached the front door to glance through the peephole. This time, she couldn't hold back the giggles when she saw her boss wearing a Santa hat.

When Maria opened the door, John barely restrained himself from drooling. Her red hair was tousled from sleep, and she looked cute as a button in the white terrycloth bathrobe that was about three sizes too big for her.

"John? What's going on? What made you decide to come over at this hour on Christmas?"

"A change of heart," he replied. "You know the story _A Christmas Carol_? Where the guy gets visited by ghosts and is told he better change his views on Christmas?" When she nodded uncertainly, he continued. "Well, I had a dream like that last night, and it scared the crap outta me. It made me realize I need to change...I need to let go of the past, and how much Marissa hurt me. I need to move forward."

"That's...great, John, really..." Maria trailed off, unsure of what to say. _Why is he telling me this?_

"Ok, look..." John sighed, trying to find the right words. _May as well come clean._ "In my dream, I visited your apartment, and you had a baby girl. A friend of yours from high school died of cancer and gave you custody of her child."

When Maria's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in astonishment, John plunged forward. "I think it's great that you're taking care of her, but I just wish you'd have told me about her...I would've given you more leeway at work."

When his pretty secretary appeared frozen in shock, John decided to take the plunge. "Can I come in so we can talk?"

Maria was saved from answering by Taylor waking up. "Come on in," she replied. "I have to get her."

She disappeared into the bedroom, giving John the chance to bring in everything he'd carted upstairs. When Maria reappeared, her jaw dropped at seeing the pile of stuff in the living room.

"What's all this?"

John grinned at her. "Just some stuff I managed to pick up. I figured diapers and wipes are two things you can never have enough of."

Maria nodded. "You're right about that." At the same time, her mind was screaming, _Aww, how sweet!_ About this time, Taylor noticed John and started squirming in Maria's arms, holding her arms out to John, much to the surprise of both adults.

"I've never seen her want to be held by anyone else," Maria stated, stunned by what she was seeing.

"She's smart...she knows a cute guy when she sees one," John joked, causing Maria to giggle as she handed Taylor to her boss. "Anyway," John continued, "why don't I hold her while you open the presents I got you?"

"You got us presents too?" The smile John received turned his insides to mush.

"Open that box first," John indicated the Diaper Genie. Maria nodded, set it on the couch beside her, and started to unwrap it. When she found out what it was, a wide smile spread across her face.

"A Diaper Genie! I've been wanting one, but I couldn't afford it! Thank you!"

"I have something for this pretty girl, too," John told her, tickling Taylor's sides and making the baby squeal with laughter. "Hold her for a sec, will you?" Maria nodded and took the baby so John could get up.

"Originally, I was gonna buy her some onesies or some clothes, but then I realized she'd probably grow out of them right away, so I went with something every kid should have." John produced the teddy bear from its hiding place behind the couch.

Taylor squealed happily when she laid eyes on her present, and Maria gasped in surprise. "John, she loves it! And it's so soft, too!" the beautiful redhead exclaimed when she felt the bear's fur.

"I saw it in the store and I couldn't leave it...I'm glad she likes it."

The two watched Taylor cuddle against her new bear and Maria smiled her heartstopping smile at John.

"What's in the other boxes?" she asked, breaking John from the private little world he was in, where trees smiled and birds sang happy tunes.

"Huh? Oh, uh, here...open this one next," John handed her the memory book and figuratively held his breath, unsure as to what Maria's reaction was going to be.

When she saw the beautiful book, Maria looked up at him with eyes brimming with tears. "It's beautiful, John...thank you."

"You can go get Taylor's name engraved on the cover if you want," her boss replied. "My best friend's wife owns the store, so she'll give you a good deal."

"What's in those big boxes?" was the pretty redhead's next question as she wiped her eyes.

"Go take a look," was the reply, and Maria gasped when she saw the pictures on the boxes. She'd been wanting to get some sort of rocking chair to rock Taylor to sleep in, but so far she hadn't been able to afford one.

She walked back over to the couch and sat down right next to John, a lot closer than she'd been before.

"Thank you for everything, John," she said. "I'm sorry I don't have anything for you."

"I know something you could give me," he replied, and colored slightly at his own corny gesture of holding a sprig of mistletoe over his head. He inwardly smacked himself for being such an idiot...this was gonna do nothing more than make a fool of -

The next thing he knew, he was being kissed like he'd never been kissed before, and wasted no time in giving as good as he was getting. On the floor, Taylor looked up from playing with her new bear and squealed at the sight of her Mommy kissing the handsome man in the Santa hat.

It looked to be a Merry Christmas after all.


	7. Chapter 7: Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Christmas Eve - One Year Later

As was the usual every Christmas Eve, the Cena family filled an entire pew in the middle of the sanctuary. Only this time, the son who'd been absent the past three years had come with them, carrying a darling little girl in a Pooh Bear snowsuit, and escorting a beautiful redhead who gazed at him in total adoration. With him was his best friend and the best friend's wife, who was just starting to show in her fifth month of pregnancy.

John laughed Randy hovering over Stacy like a mother hen, but every so often looking down at her stomach and grinning as though he were very proud of himself.

"Randy's already bought that kid everything he can find that bears the symbol of the New England Patriots," he told Maria.

"Wonder when Stacy's going to tell him the doctor told her they were having a girl," Maria giggled.

"Probably not anytime soon...I think she's enjoying this too much," John replied.

Leaving Taylor to enjoy the church nursery, the couple joined the rest of the family for the traditional service. As they sang along with the choir, John glanced down at his beautiful girlfriend, who'd moved in with him back in October. He glanced toward the front of the church at the Nativity scene there, and sent a silent 'thank you' that he hadn't missed his chance to grab this with both hands and never let it go.

_Yep_, he thought, _life was good_.

And the following morning, both would get surprises from the other.

Maria's surprise from John was in the form of a small jewelry box containing a diamond solitaire ring that would be tied into the big red bow around the neck of the rambunctious female Golden Retriever puppy that was currently hidden in a guest bedroom at Mr. Cena's house.

John's surprise from Maria was in the form of a thermometer-shaped object that bore two blue lines glued to a homemade card that read _'Merry Christmas Daddy'_.

**THE****END**

**Author's Note:** Hope you enjoyed it...Happy Holidays to everyone!

**R&R!**


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